Sagae gets my vote. Pops up early in the spring and is always an eye-catcher.

Dick

which ever one strikes THEIR fancy after walking around my collection .. i MIGHT even give them a piece ..

but who am i to tell them what they like ... lol ..

ken

PS: the real answer is ... ALL OF THEM ...

Jade Cascade is my favorite...and it looks lovely in my kitchen right now. lol

If they were going to get ONE hosta, don't waste your money on the little ones - go for a giant!!!

Maybe one from Olga...you can't go wrong..

guardian angel

Montana Aureomarginata

If your friends are only going to get one hosta, get them a late riser. My Sagae and Montana Aureomarginata will be mush later today and if they can tolerate the 29 degrees this a.m. by the end of the week they definitely will be mush when it gets to the low 20's. Don't saddle them with something that could have problems. I would also skip the known edge problem hosta, ie Frances Williams. Big, tough, lazy hosta for the singleton specimen plant.

Looking for visual impact. I was thinking of 'Gold Standard'. A classic, good grower, no matter where you plant it it thrives. And it's somewhat easy to come by.

Donna

If you could only have one and you want a gorgeous hosta I'd pick Summer Breeze.
But, better yet go for two and pick Niagara Falls as well, which is impressive and majestic at maturity.

How about Inniswood? It's 6 plants in one.

{{gwi:941057}}

Elegans. I've never been disappointed by one, they grow big and fast, are inexpensive, slug resistant..and as the name implies...ELEGANT!

Char

P.S. I love all the varieties mentioned above as well.

Elegans may grow fast for you, Char,but for me it's as slow as molasses in January. Granted mine have huge leaves,but in 3 years some of them still have only 2 eyes. Try fortunei aureomarginata; it's variegated and has a nice gold edge,and it's cheap! Phil

Paul's Glory....a 12 in 1...if you observe it carefully once per week for 3 months. The weekly change has amazed me since I've had it!

Papou

Hmmm, great suggestions (and the pics McT), thanks everyone! I guess now what I'll do is look for one of those mentioned above and give it to my friend as a gift (and get one for myself as well!!).

Donna

{{gwi:963513}} or

Paul's Glory - beautiful! Guacamole is beautiful as well. Elegans too. But Paul's Glory is the best!

I would recommend Guacamole...beautiful and fast grower.

I'd probably go with June.
When your friends find out that there is no such animal as "just one hosta" they can divide June and put her in different light locations. Now they will have same hostas that differ a bit in color. Course we all know the next thing your friends will do is check out the hostas in their local supermarket. . then they will check out every nursery within 50 miles . . .expanding that to 100 miles. . then they will yank out all the other non hostas to make room for their mail order hostas. . .then. . .

ONE hosta. . snort. . . hohohoho

All blue hostas! I would have every one there is, but I have learned restrant!!!

Much as I would like all hostas, price, the size of my yard, and the amount of shade I have limit me.

I don't have the heart to get rid of any one kind of hosta that I have completely. I do pot up some duplicates to sell so I can get more new kinds( doesn't everyone?). LOL

Connie